Innovative movements define Diavolo

Through working together, Diavolo dancers explore the challenges of relationships, the absurdities of life and the struggles to maintain our humanity. The company comes to Three Stages Jan. 19 & 20. Courtesy photo

Under the guidance of Artistic Director Jacques Heim, the company has developed a reputation for stunning, innovative movement on oversized surrealistic sets and everyday structures. Through working together, Diavolo dancers explore the challenges of relationships, the absurdities of life and the struggles to maintain our humanity. In doing so, it has redefined dance, theatre, and thrills — taking movement, athleticism and risk to the extreme.

“Jacques Heim, choreographer of Cirque du Soleil’s Ka, has founded a company that must be seen to be believed,” said Three Stages Executive Director Dave Pier.

Heim founded Diavolo Dance Theater in 1992 and has choreographed the company’s entire repertory. Heim has also been active as a performer and choreographer for other companies. He choreographed the long-running Ka, a permanent show for Cirque du Soleil, which premiered in April 2004 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Heim has been the recipient of a James Irvine Foundation Fellowship in choreography, the Martha Hill Choreography Award by the American Dance Festival, the Special Prize of the Jury at the 6th Saitama International Dance Festival, and a Brody Arts Fund fellowship. Heim has choreographed workshops at Ballet Pacifica and taught movement and dance for many years at Cal State LA and UCLA.

Based in Los Angeles since its inception, Diavolo was officially recognized as a cultural treasure by the city of Los Angeles in 2007. The 2011-12 season marks Diavolo’s 13th U.S. tour, with more than 14 weeks on the road in 20 cities. In addition, Diavolo has toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America. Diavolo has also created unique performance events for corporate clients such as Wells Fargo, Honda, Sebastian Inc. and General Motors.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned Diavolo to create a trilogy of dance pieces to premiere with the orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl: Foreign Bodies (2007), set to the music of Esa-Pekka Salonen; Fearful Symmetries (2010), set to the music of John Adams; and Fluid Infinities (to premiere in 2013), set to the music of Philip Glass. The Los Angeles Times described the Hollywood Bowl premieres as “those rare events that define the art of this city, when the levels of vision and support are equally exceptional … [Diavolo] makes precisely coordinated feats look improvisational, even reckless … To say Diavolo is exciting is redundant.”

This past year alone, the Diavolo Education Company performed for more than 40,000 students through young persons’ matinees, in-school assemblies. In addition, the company regularly hosts open training sessions, master classes and weeklong intensives that immerse emerging dance artists in Diavolo technique. With the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Diavolo received a 2010 American Masterpieces grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to fund education activities.

Diavolo comes to Three Stages, located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, and at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 (sold out). Tickets are $25 to $45 with premium tickets available for $55; they are available online at threestages.net or from Three Stages ticket office at (916) 608-6888 from 10 a.m. to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time.